Home is where you make it
by Sylindara
Summary: With the destruction of Teikou weyr, Kaijou weyr is getting their new Queen early. Too early. Kasamatsu has the responsibility of the entire weyr on his shoulders; he would have preferred not having the responsibility of the new queen and her rider too. Written for Team Battle and Character Battle 2014 on basketballpoetsociety Tumblr [Pern AU]
1. Chapter 1

Pern AU, though it's been a long time and my memories of it are faint. Maybe because of that, this turned into age difference, arranged marriage-y KasaKise. I'm not sure how; sorry about this ._.

Not following Pern's naming conventions either, sorry. I wasn't sure how it'd work with Japanese and gave up orz Also why none of the dragons' names are mentioned; Japanese doesn't even have a 'th' sound.

* * *

It's a big day for Kaijou weyr; the queen they have been waiting for is finally on her way. Kasamatsu runs over what he knows about the new queen one more time. Hatched from the first and last clutch of Teikou's young and inexperienced queen who, from what Kasamatsu had heard, only managed to avoid the same fate as Teikou through the quick thinking of her rider, Akashi Seijuurou – who must be a pretty capable kid despite his inexperience, because Kasamatsu hears that the two of them are over at Rakuzan now.

What really matters is the fact that Kaijou's incoming queen also manages to escape the destruction of Teikou, both the hatchling and her rider are coming ahead of time thanks to that – instead of maturing on home ground like they were supposed to.

Kasamatsu dreads the thought of having to deal with a hatchling queen, especially since her rider – one Kise Ryouta – was apparently a harper's apprentice of all things. He will have to explain _everything_ to the kid. Kasamatsu has no idea how much Kise's learned by now, but he doubts it's a lot. The worst part is that he can't even push the task off to someone else. As the youngest bronze rider, his age is the only one that comes anywhere near Kise. Kaijou's a small weyr, and fair. It sees no need in forcing a new queen to be with the oldest and most experienced bronze for stability, or with the strongest bronze that can beat up the rest. Kaijou weyr prefers to have the leadership shared between those that seem like they would work well together – which, for now, means someone with less than a decade's difference in age with Kise.

Moriyama, who had been chattering about something with his green, turns at the sound of Kasamatsu's heavy sigh and claps him consolingly on the shoulder. "It will be fine, I'm sure the new queen will be great! In fact, it might even be a better strategy to have the queen come here as a hatchling and get used to everything first before taking up her duties."

Moriyama means well. Kasamatsu cannot fault him for that. But.

Beyond their little balcony, Kasamatsu's bronze looks over at them with an unhappy snort._ I do not want to mate a dragon I knew as a hatchling!_

Kasamatsu can't help but agree. Physically, Kise seems to have reached adulthood already, but on the experience front he is still a baby.

Perhaps realising that his encouragment isn't working, Moriyama looks around for a distraction and finds- "Hey, I think they're here soon!"

Turning, Kasamatsu finds that their dragons have now been joined by two blues. Which means Kobori and Hayakawa should be making their way here. Which means-

Kasamatsu takes a deep breath. "Now or never, huh."

"We will be with you all the way," Moriyama tells him solemnly. The most reassuring thing he has said all day.

"I know, thanks." Kasamatsu gives him a nod. "That's what's important. That we're working together for the weyr. All of us. New queen included."


	2. Chapter 2

It's not the end of the world being chosen by a Queen, Akashi had said quietly to Kise after the Hatching. Queen Riders get more choices than you think.

Kise didn't have the heart to tell him that, as a Harper Hall apprentice, Kise had no idea what kind of freedom Queen Riders did or didn't get in the first place. Except that, from Akashi words, there weren't much.

But then, Kise had never thought he would be Chosen by a Queen. It's true that he hadn't really considered what he was doing, barging into a Hatching when he had originally refused the Searching for the Harper Hall. But then he saw Aomine on his dragon. The way they had danced through the sky, even just as a practice run, how could Kise not join the Hatching after that?

It's too late for regrets now. Kise tightens his hold on the harness wrapped around the one woman who's managed to take hold in his heart – even if she's a dragon. He looks back, he can't help himself, even though they are too far away now to see the damage – a series of jumps in Between that has left them closer to the Kaijou Weyr Kise has been sent to than the ruins of what once was Teikou Weyr. Akashi may only be a new Weyr Leader, his Queen on her first Hatching, but he didn't deserve that. Kise does not blame him for Teikou's destruction. He might be the only one.

Akashi was kind to him, when he didn't need to be. Teaching him what it means to be a Queen Rider, what it means to lie with a Bronze for the good of the Weyr. Queen riders get more choices than you would think, but that didn't mean they get to choose their partner. A Queen's partner is a Weyr Leader's partner, what's important isn't personal feelings but being able to consider the best course for the Weyr.

At least Kise knows Kasamatsu – currently the highest positioned Bronze rider at Kaijou Weyr. He remembers a Gather at Teikou Weyr that Kasamatsu had participated in, back when Kise had still been a Harper apprentice, helping out the party. Of average height, he was a head shorter than Kise, but had the kind of natural dignity that made you listen and defer to him. Unless you are a woman, then he freezes up and turns into a piece of wood. But he would be a good choice for Weyr Leader; Kise knows he won't have a problem sleeping with Kasamatsu, he's a good man. The question is what Kasamatsu thinks of him – a Harper's apprentice turned Queen rider who knows nothing about dragonriders and their lives, whose Queen has barely reached adulthood. They weren't meant to join Kaijou Weyr until much later, once both Kise and his Queen has had time to grow.

"We'll just have to do our best," Kise says out loud determinedly, one hand brushing gently at the warm scales under him. They have no other choice. Kaijou is their home now. They need to make this work.


End file.
